1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a solid state circuit protector and, more specifically, to a solid state circuit for determining circuit malfunctions and the electrothermal sensor used in conjunction therewith.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Circuit protection, especially as applied to high current environments, is generally embodied in electro/magnetic/thermal/mechanical circuit breakers (EMM CB). The current-time-trip relationship is determined by internal mechanisms which may be thermal, magnetic, mechanical, etc.
These circuit breakers connect an electrical load to the power source and are typically manually set. The current-time-trip relationship is determined by internal mechanisms which may be thermal, magnetic, mechanical, etc. Such circuit breakers are usually located in a panel which is easily accessible for monitoring and manual switching.
In thermal circuit breakers and other devices, the bimetal thermal analog operates against a mechanical latch. Such devices are typified by, for example, a bimetal element heated by the current flowing through the wire or cable, the bimetal being the thermal analog of the wire. This requires the bimetal to work against the latch, making its timing function more complicated and subject to variation. It is also readily apparent that such prior art circuit protection devices cannot be easily operated from locations remote therefrom.